incapibilis

Incapibilis is a Latin adjective meaning unable or not capable. It is formed from the negative prefix in- attached to capibilis, from capere “to seize, take,” with capibilis meaning “able to be taken.” Therefore incapibilis literally means “not able to be taken/overcome.” It is primarily found in classical and medieval Latin texts, used as an attributive modifier that agrees in gender, number, and case with the noun it describes. As with other -ilis adjectives, the exact declension varies by noun.

In English translations, incapibilis is rendered as incapable or unable, and its sense can range from physical incapacity to metaphorical or moral inapplicability, depending on context. In legal or philosophical writing, it may describe conditions, actions, or subjects that cannot be subjected to a particular constraint or outcome.

In academic discussions, incapibilis is typically cited as an example of Latin negative predicates and of the -ibilis class of adjectives. It is often contrasted with capable or possible terms, illustrating how Latin expresses negation of potentiality. The term is of interest to linguists and philologists studying Latin morphology and historical usage.

See also: Latin adjectives of the -ilis class, capere as a verb root, and Latin negation in predicate adjectives. Etymology and usage are discussed in Latin dictionaries and grammar references.